A trace of voices
by Seneti
Summary: Here it is: The sequel to "Demonheart! Rated for some bloody scenes later on. (completed)
1. Prologue

A trace of voices

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, the characters, the plot, etc. ... But I own Koe.

A.N.: As this is the sequel to "Demonheart", it's an entire Sesshomaru x Rin fanfiction, so don't expect me to write about other Inu Yasha characters in this.

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Chapter I – Prologue -

Golden splashes of dying sunlight illuminated his face, as they finally reached the center of the forest. A steep slope blocked their way to the woods' heart, but deep down there she knew they would find what he was looking for, so she tried not to focus on the valley's darkness. Nevertheless, a creepy feeling rose within her and made her body tremble slightly. "Rin?" He glanced down at her, his amber eyes almost the same color as the sun. "You're sure you want to follow us down there?" She hesitated a bit, then took a last look at the darkness below her. "Sure?" Her voice trembled along with her body, while he still stood motionless.

"I think we should leave her here, Sesshomaru-sama. She isn't much of a help anyway." The two servants exchanged some angry looks, then both turned away from the sight of each other at almost the same moment. She knew he didn't like her and he knew she would never agree with him, so where was the sense in arguing? "I'm sure." She said all of a sudden and turned to look at her master. "I'll follow you, Sesshomaru-sama. I'm not afraid of the darkness." The white haired demon looked at her again, a look that seemed to even go beyond her words. A look that stroke straight through her, trying to find out if she had told him the truth.

For a few moments everything was quiet, except the whispering of the wind that took the leaves from the edge down to the valley. She didn't tell the others, but somehow she had the feeling like everything that entered the valley was doomed to death - a feeling that made her tremble again.

"Quick - step behind me!" She hesitated for a few seconds, then followed his order. He was never kidding with things like that.

From the woods they had come from, pieces of calls and screams echoed through the forest, while he himself rather concentrated on the wind's smell. There was blood – blood, the smell of three different demons and... He stared into the woods' darkness, his eyes widening from confusion. That smell... He glanced at the girl behind him, wondering if she knew something he didn't, but she just gave him her most clueless look and continued hiding behind her master.

Suddenly a deep roar came from the dark space in front of them, a roar of pain and defeat, or probably even death. Some trees just fell like they were made of paper, others burst into thousands of splinters, covering the landscape with a carpet of wood. Out of the dusk's creepy darkness a woman appeared, chased by two demons, the blood on her sword still fresh. He could smell it was the third demons blood... but she didn't look like a demon slayer. She didn't wear their armor and she didn't even use their weapons. And that smell...

Another bunch of trees got shattered, as it was hit by a second demon hurled against it. He looked down at Rin again, but instead of vanishing, his confusion even increased. It wasn't likely she was afraid of something... it wasn't likely she would close her eyes in fear.

"Rin."

The sound of her name echoed down the valley, even though he had only whispered it, and caused a frightening silence, before another tree suffered from the fight. This time it was the demon's victory.

"This... this can't be..." Sesshomaru focused his servants again, noticing that Rin had now opened her eyes, opened wider than he'd wanted them to. She stared right into the direction of the hurt woman, whispering the sentence over and over again. He turned to look at the woman, then noticed her face was almost the same. There had to be some connection between the two of them... but what? Why did they look so shocked just by hearing Rin's name?

As he tried to ask, a second strike hit the tree, but the woman was quick enough to evade. He couldn't tell why he felt relieved at that, maybe because it was kind of what Rin looked like, but even it was like that...

A familiar voice interrupted his trail of thoughts: "Look, Sesshomaru-sama!" He turned around, looking for whatever Jaken wanted to show him, then noticed the woman had already recovered from her fight pretty well and was now staring at Rin again, as a short smile appeared on her lips.

Weaving a short goodbye to the visibly confused girl she made her way down to the valley, the last demon still haunting her. As both were gone, they woods laid quit again.

"That was one weird human..." The green demon's voice was a mix of both confusion and disgust. "Just crazy." He walked to the edge of the slope, noticing a trace of blood that led down to the valley. "Hm, whoever she was – she won't get far with such a wound."

"It isn't her blood, Jaken." His master mentioned in his usual voice, then turned to look at Rin again. "You're still wondering if you should follow us, Rin?"

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A.N.: I know I'm not good at writing such scenes and I promise the next chapter will be better. Thanks to everyone who reviewed "Demonheart". I hope you liked that chapter anyway.

I guess now you can imagine who Koe is.


	2. Koe

Chapter II - Koe – 

A.N.: Sorry it took me so long to continue. I hope this chapter is better than the last one.

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The sun had already set hours ago, as they finally stopped their search. He wasn't even sure if he was still looking for what he came to search for, or for that strange woman. With a barely audible sigh he sat down next to a little spring that broke the valley's silence. It was always fun to see how Rin and Jaken started quarreling after a few minutes and, surprisingly, Rin was always the first to remember her real duties.

But this night was different. She didn't even react to Jaken's mocking comments. She rather looked more like the child that had found him one. There was no expression on her face and - what was almost more frightening - silence. He had to admit that Rin's endless talking after he had brought her back to life had been kind of annoying, but without, he just felt like something was missing. He felt like there was something really wrong with her. It couldn't be his illusion or even his mistake. He never made mistakes... did he?

With another sigh he stood up again, then froze to the living statue of a demon. That smell...

"Rin!" He commanded. "You'll come with me. Jaken! Stay here and watch over the fire!" The green demon looked startled, than focused the girl next to him. It was the first time since they had found her that his master told HIM to stay... and not her. He tried to complain, but then let himself fall on the ground. There was no sense in arguing, especially if Rin was the subject to argue about.

"Where do we go, Sesshomaru-sama?" The black-haired girl asked, while walking beside her silent master. His face was as emotionless as ever, but as the stars were reflected in his eyes, a well-known feeling rose within her. There was something in his eyes, something normal people would never be able to see. It was like a strange kind of curiosity, hidden behind an aura of dignity and pride. He really was a superior, more royal than any king could ever be.

"Stand still!" He commanded, and she froze immediately. Deep in the darkness of what he looked right through, a silent voice seemed to echo through the woods, accompanied by a slight shadow. After all she had been through with her master by now, she could tell it was neither human nor a demon – a thought that somehow made her tremble from fear.

"Show yourself!" The white-haired demon commanded again. "Or do you want me to make you leave your hideout?"

"So that's the demon you follow that obediently? I've heard a lot of stories..." A low, but still female voice answered between some giggling. "Ah, I hope he doesn't treat you like that."

His eyes narrowed a bit, focusing the shadow that stepped out of the woods darkness, then turned to look at Rin again for a short moment. The time he spent looking at her was definitely NOT only a short moment, although he didn't really know what made him do so. Okay, she looked a bit shocked, but he had got used to this. He knew she would quiet down once she had realized he was there... which immediately meant that she was out of danger, so why worry so much?

By the time he turned away, the shadow in front of them had already become a figure of flesh and blood, the moon illuminating the left side of her body. The wounds from her fight with the demons this evening were still visible, although they had stopped bleeding. She didn't wear a normal warrior's armor, as a king or lord would never allow a woman to join his army. But therefore a lot of armor variations had been invented during the centuries of wars and demons. She was all dressed in black – the same color as her hair – which caused the impression that she was a shadow herself. But, still, he could smell her human blood.

"You look disappointed, Sesshomaru-sama." The women's voice rose again. "I don't know why you're looking for me. I can understand Rin, but you..."

'Because of Rin.' He found himself thinking, but than quickly shoved away the thought. "And now tell me: Who are you and how do you know about Rin?"

The grin on her face turned down to the earth, then faded away. "Koe." She answered in her low voice. But this time, it sounded like a sign of defeat – hopeless, small, cold. "my name is Koe."

"Koe?" Rin asked visibly shocked. "So you really are..." She rose her hand to her mouth. He could see them tremble... from fear? "Nee-san..." Koe still looked away. "I think so." Sesshomaur's eyes widened. 'Nee-san?'

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Cold winds rushed through the leaves, as Rin finally fell asleep. Koe gently put the cape she had worn over her little sister, while Sesshomaru's eyes followed her silently. She giggled slightly. "Something wrong, Sesshomaru-sama? There's no reason to worry. I'm her older sister – how could I ever hurt her?"

"I've got a younger brother." He replied in his usual monotone manner. "And I wouldn't mind killing him."

"How sad for you..." Rin stirred a bit, drawing Koe's attention back to her. "But that's your brother and your problem. The only thing I worry about is Rin following you." She paused shortly, giving him a moment to go on wondering what to think about her. "But as long as she's safe and alright, I won't complain about it, either."

With a short glance at Rin and the campfire he thought of the night before. It had been the same situation... cold winds, the campfire, that strange feeling of thousands of questions running through his head, without even knowing the way to get an answer. Last night it had been his thoughts about Rin, this time it was both her and Koe. And that smell...

"But you know I don't trust you, don't you?" She smiled a bit at his sudden mention. "Of course I know. It's because of that smell, right? The strange mix of Rin's smell and the one of a grave, right?" With a short shriek Jaken finally moved. He had been sitting next to his master like a sculpture of stone, but now came back to life. "Now I remember what seemed so wrong about you!" The green demon mentioned timidly. "I once asked Rin why she didn't go back to her family." His master turned at him angrily. How could he even have dared asking her such questions? He knew Rin didn't want to talk about her past. Even the worst idiot would have realized that within a few hours. "She told me her family had been killed by some highwaymen." Jaken added. "Her entire family."

For a few seconds all was quiet again. Even the winds had stopped blowing, like all was listening for Koe's answer. She took a deep breath. "Death wasn't the worst of it." She replied glumly, her body trembling along with her voice. "Sounds odd, but I was quite happy to ... well... finally die. It was late in the evening – Rin was already sleeping. I had cut myself with one of our knives and went down to the river to wash my hands clean of the blood. But then I noticed those men heading towards our house. It was so obvious that they were highwaymen... I ran back home as quickly and quietly as possible and awoke everyone – our father, mother Rin and my three younger brothers. As she was the youngest, she was the first I told how to get into the woods without being caught. She had just left when they broke into our house. Well, and the rest of the story you already know." She paused for a moment.

"Of course I didn't realize it the time it happened, but later than I heard rumors telling that Rin actually hadn't run into the woods like I told her. She had to watch those bastards destroying everything she once called home. I can believe she didn't say a single word after that anymore... at least until she met you. Well, and after I had found those highwaymen and fulfilled the bargain, I came here to see if Rin is alright. Now that I know, I've no reason for staying with you any longer..."

"W... wait!" Jaken interrupted. "So you're leaving that valley? And not that it matters, but how did you come back to life?"

"None of your business." She snapped back, than gave Rin a kiss on the forehead. "Please tell her not to worry about me after I've gone." She stood up slowly and took a last look at her sister. It was one of those "farewell" and not "see you later" looks. One that couldn't be taken back again. With a slight sigh Koe took her first step back into the darkness, but then turned to the demons for a last time. A sad smile stretched across her face. "And tell her she can keep the cape... as long as she wants."

The campfire crackled faintly and emotionless.

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A.N.: That's NOT the end! I've already been told it sounds like the story is finished with that last line, but it's definitely not! Please r&r. 


	3. Old friends

Chapter III - Old friends

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, the characters, the plot, etc.

A.N.: Yeah, I know, it's been ages since my last chapter. I hope this one is good enough to be considered an apology.

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Warmth... it kept floating through her body... even though she knew she wasn't there anymore. She was gone... her sister, Koe, was gone...

With a small yawn, Rin risked a short look at her cold surroundings. The fire had already gone out and thick fog crept across the ground. "Good morning, Rin." She opened her eyes again, this time facing her master. It had been a long time since he had talked to her like that. "Good morning... Sesshomaru-sama."

"She is gone, you know." He added, as he noticed the disappointment within her voice. "She said you shouldn't worry about her...and you can keep the coat."

A bright smile stretched across Rin's face. "Just so typical..." Clutching the coat she got up an took a look around. As far as she could tell, it was early in the morning, just before sunrise. A few meters away from her the trees already vanished in the fog - a typical autumn morning, but much colder than usual. "What's that cold?" She asked between some shivering. Koe's coat kept her quite warm, but still the fog made her tremble.

"Stupid human child." Jaken's voice answered. "It's always cold on autumn mornings." Just at that moment, a small stone hit his face. "What did you do that for, Sesshomaru-sama?" the green demon cried, while his master sighed in disappointment. "She is right, Jaken." Sesshomaru mentioned absently, while staring into the fog. "That's no nomral cold. And if you took a closer look at the fog, you'd see that this isn't normal fog either." With a short glance at Rin and another faint sigh, he started to make his way through the white. "Let's go. We haven't come here to talk about fog and seasons."

A raven's call broke through the silence, startling both Rin and Jaken. As they had realized what had just happened, a familiar, timid look crept across Jaken's face. "Sesshomaru-sama! Wait for me, Sesshomaru-sama!" 'Always such a cry baby...' She thought glumly, as she finally followed her master. It was always fun to see what an idiot a royal demon could be... or royal people in general.

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The sun had already risen over the mountains, as he turned around for the first time. They had already gone deep into the valley's heart and, what add even more to the growing unpleasant feeling in his stomach, the fog was still as thick as it had been the hours before. It was like the fog devoured all the sunlight and just left a curtain of grey and white for the forest.

Next to him, his master was still walking silently, his head held high and his cold gaze still lingering on what might be before them, as the fog didn't leave any space for visible paths. On the other side of his master, Rin was still walking silently, too, curled up into the coat her sister head left for her. She looked strange this time. Not like the curious little girl that always soaked up all the smells, sounds and colours around her. She was drowning... drowning in heavy thought. Even the sideways glances of her master didn't catch her attention...

"Don't dare doing this, you hear me, Jaken?" the white-haired demon stated quickly as if he had read the mind of his servant. "In contrast to you, Rin is in real trouble and in contrast to you, she is using her brain to figure out what to do next, so don't interrupt her."

His gaze froze, partly from shock, partly from disbelieve, partly from anger. 'Why did he always have to favour that ... human?'

For a few moments, Jaken kept following his master silently, trying to ignore the creepy atmosphere created by the valley's own silence. The raven's call earlier that morning had been the last sound he had heard beside their own walking and talking.

"So what is that fog, Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken finally questioned. Of course it was a crazy idea. Ever since he had been with his master, the answers to such questions had been sarcastic phrases that told him to shut up. And with Rin walking next to him and the order not to disturb her, it almost felt like suicide. A fact that– as always – came to his mind much too late.

"It's a demon called Kumori." His master answered to Jaken's surprise, although the little demon still waited for him to at least smack him or asking. "He has lots of different names. Some call him mist-master, some bone-eater..."

"Bone-eater?" Rin asked skeptically. A strange expression covered her now pale face. "It's a name humans gave him." Her master explained. "Due to his habit to only eat the bones of his victims and use the rest as..." He gave a short glance at Rin's face, but then quickly turned away again. Deciding that he had said enough, or maybe even too much, he kept walking in silence again.

"But... if he really is that demon you just called him, Sesshomaru-sama, shouldn't we better... get out of here as fast as we can?" His second servant answered quite timidly. Another stupid question. "Jaken... why do you think I got here..." His master answered in that sarcastic, dangerous tone again, making his servant frown in defeat. And again Jaken wondered why they hadn't left Rin somewhere else. A little human child was definitely not going to improve their situation, except his master would allow HIM to kill her.

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Long hours had passed by as Sesshomaru finally stopped walking. Right in front of them a large cave reached into the fog. "Hey, wait! Has that thing been here before?" A strange expression crept across Jaken's face. Did she always have to ask such stupid questions? "Your memory is good." Her master interrupted. "It had not been here yesterday. Same as the fog."

"Kumori has built that cave?" Jaken asked skeptically. "but of what?" He took a closer look at the wall and touched it. "That's definitely neither stone nor clay."

"Remember what I told you about is habit that gave him the name "bone-eater"?" His master answered before turning to Rin again. "Rin, it is your decision whether you go farther or stop here. If you hide here, you'll be quite safe. Even most of the elder demons aren't brave enough to challenge him. If you follow us, you'll be on your own in there. He may be an old friend of mine, but still... you're human." Wide eyes looked at him in shock. Since when... "It is his cave and even my powers are limited within."

For a few moments, all was quiet again. What kind of demon was that, anyway? Strong enough to defeat their master? Impossible...

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A.N.: Yeah, here we go again! Hope you liked chapter III, next one will be coming soon, I promise.


	4. Frozen

Chapter IV – Frozen

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, the characters, the plot etc., but I own Koe.

A.N.: See, I've hurried. And I've tried something new. Has to do with the title.

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Long threads of water hit the ground, causing a feeling of endless sadness in her. They reminded her of tears falling down her sisters face the night her life ended. The endless flow of tears, when Koe had told her how to get into the woods without being caught, when she had told her to run and not to look back, when she had told her not to worry... 

"May the stars guide you into a better future than us." The words still echoed inside her. A better future... With a short sigh she reached into the rain, wincing as the cold water hit her hand. She felt the rain. "Everything that can feel is alive." Another phrase echoed inside her head. So she was alive. Her family was dead, destroyed, put to dust. She was alive. But if that was a better future, then why was heaven crying? And time stood still.

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Short shivers ran down his spine, as they finally reached the cave's center. The fog had vanished, but still the air seemed to get more and more solid with every step they made. It felt like walking against a wall, like some strange power blocked their way, unwilling to let them pass. His master didn't even seem to bother. Neither the air nor the biting cold seemed to harm him. Cold... he took a look at his fingers, but quickly turned away again. So it was no illusion. He took a second look, while trying to move them, but it was useless. No motion... no emotion... the cold had started it's work on his body and mind. 

Was that why his master had asked her to stay away? To keep her from freezing to death? A vile grimace shortly crossed his face. If only that stupid human child was gone... And time stood still.

Cold blood ran down her cheek, although she didn't really care. If it hadn't been such a magnet for demons, like light for moths, she wouldn't even have realized that one of them actually had hit her. It was hard to realize anything at all without senses – one of the few disadvantages of being dead already.

She let her gaze wander through the fog in front of her, then stopped as she came across a small, black-haired figure. "You here?" She asked bitterly. "Where's your master nee-chan? And why the hell are you crying?" her voice had already decreased to only a whisper, when faint sobs joined in. "You shouldn't have to cry, you know." Tears came running down her pale cheek, although she didn't feel anything. The just kept flowing, merging with the blood and rain that already ran down her face.

As to keep her from falling down on her knees, a demon's call broke through the silence – the only thing she was able to feel now that she was dead: Demons and their approach. She turned around to leave and lead them into another part of the valley, but then stopped, as she recognized the coat her sister wore. "Good girl... good demon." A great smile stretched across her face. "Farewell, sister." And time stood still.

* * *

Numerous thoughts came to his mind, as they finally reached what he had been looking for: Kumori. It had been ages since they'd met for the first time. They had both been young, assertive and bored, searching for a challenge... the fight ended in a draw. The first time he hadn't won. The first time someone had been strong enough. For a few years competition went on. They kept fighting each other, "accidentally" destroying whole villages if there wasn't enough room for them to move. The people there didn't even bother them. Just humans. 

A short grin appeared on his lips. Nothing had changed after all those years. Kumori still slaughtered humans and he didn't care... well... except for Rin. Actually, he wanted to curse himself for even saving her life the day she died. He was a demon, one of the most powerful demons. He had never expected anyone to be worthy being saved by him. And he hadn't really meant to change that either, but she – a simple, pathetic human child – had dared breaking his habit just by that single smile that haunted him every night and every time she looked into his eyes. Rin, the human child with the demonheart.

He smiled again. Considered her sister had risen from the dead not much of a surprise, although the difference was easy to see. Koe was a fighter, a warrior. Whoever had awoken her, he must have had some sixth sense for strong-minded people, who were quite easily able to become as strong as any usual demon. In that way Rin was just a tiny light next to the flame of her sister, although they were equally strong-minded. Rin just didn't have her sister's strength.

For a few moments anger and disappointment rose inside him. Rin had the same strength in character, but she didn't know how to... Of course... The anger and disappointment vanished. Of course she didn't know how to turn that strength of mind into the strength of her body. After all even most demon children needed someone to teach them how to use their powers most efficiently. How should she know then without anyone to teach her?

Shaking his head slightly, he faced the white creature in front of him again. Rin was a problem to deal with later on, when this was over. For now it was time to pretend he hadn't met her, to pretend he was still the one he had been half a century before, and to hope it would work...

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A.N.: Wow, look at that! Less than a week for updating 


	5. Behind the smile

Chapter V – Behind the smile –

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, the characters, the plot, etc., but I own Koe.

A.N.: Welcome to the second half and sorry for updating so late.

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"Welcome, my old friend." His voice echoed through the cave's tunnels, getting even louder and more dangerous. It seemed to merge with the air like a veil of toxic – slowly weakening it's victim. "I'm glad you've accepted my invitation." 

"Invitation?" Sesshomaru sounded angry, but his face stayed the same. "You didn't invite me, you told me to come here because you needed my help. And honestly I don't have that much time, so please hurry... old friend." A small grin crept across Kumori's face. "So moody today, Sesshomaru? You've always been taciturn, but this time I'm hurt."

Faint crackling filled the room, as Kumori finally stood up. His skin looked as pale as the fog outside his cave, as pale and almost as shapeless. A strange tone laid in his voice as he finally continued. "I don't have that much time either. You may have noticed that I look a bit different than last time." He showed his hand, indicating the spot where his fingers should have been, but only a tangle of fog could be seen. "This isn't fog covering my hand, Sesshomaru, this IS my hand." Jaken's face got paler with every second, while his master didn't even seem to care. He seemed to be used to such a sight, but Kumori's face taught him better. "You probably think it's only an old trick, but I assure you it's not." He turned to the ground at his feet, unwilling to face his guests' eyes. "Whatever I say now, just keep it for yourself, you hear me."

"Kumori..." an amused giggle left Sesshomaru's mouth. "Since when does Kumori, master of fog and nightmare of all northern humans hide his face like a timid child?" The sarcasm within his voice vanished, when he spoke of the child. 'Sounds familiar somehow.' He thought with a grin.

"It was a mortal who did this to me." Kumori answered while trying to ignore what had just been said. Yes, he was one of the tengu, the fog demons whom even the strongest demon slayers were afraid of. Defeated – defeated by one single human. "It was my fault."

"Your fault?" Sesshomaru's giggle almost turned into laughter. "Shame on you, Kumori. You're bad for our reputation." He returned to his usual serious manner. "Who? And how?"

"I awoke her from the dead. Not more than a month ago."

"Her?" A strange expression covered Sesshomaru's face. "You are not going to tell me that one single, weak, human woman did that to you."

"I'm afraid I have to." The tengu replied hesitantly. "We had a deal. I was to help her find and kill her murderers and she was to become a servant of mine."

"But she didn't."

"Damned little traitor!" Heavy shivers went through the cave's walls, just like Kumori, quaking with anger. "But a clever one I have to admit. She had noticed that I had had to gather all my power at one single point in order to awake her."

"And that point was the katana you always carry around with yourself, right?" He sighed slightly as he noticed Kumori nodding in agreement. With another sigh he turned to leave the cave, his servant following him quite irritated. "And don't forget: You owe me something."

"But be careful! She may have a beautiful smile, but it only covers her telltale soul."

* * *

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken's voice was a mix of fear and confusion, as they finally reached the cave's exit. After Kumori had told them about his "problem", his master had left the cave as fast as possible, without any further information. "Shouldn't we at least have asked him more about that woman? How shall we find her without even knowing what she looks like?" 

"Jaken..." 'Not that sarcastic tone again' the green demon thought. "She has been awoken from the dead, only a month ago, has killed her murderers and she is beautiful, but tricky and unscrupulous – I'm sure she knew he would slowly dissolve if she steals that katana. Who does all that remind you of, Jaken?"

For a few moments, all was silent again, both in- and outside Jaken's head, but then a dreadful idea occurred to him. "Wait, Sesshomaru-sama! You are not thinking of Koe, are you?"

"Who else?" His master replied in his usual tone again. "Do you know anyone else who fits the description? You don't see so many risen-from-the-dead-humans nowadays."

"No but..." Jaken's face was pale from shock. Did that mean they had to... "So you are really going to kill Rin's sister?" A short smile crept across Sesshomaru's face. "Who says I'll do anything? Kumori has always been one of the few people who could become a real danger for me, and Koe has only taken her chances. Why should I kill her for doing me a favour?" Another shock hit Jaken. His master had to be joking. On the other hand... he had never made jokes and the plan itself was quite logical. They would just have to wait a bit and everything would be fine.

"So we are leaving that valley like nothing has happened?" His voice was a mix of relief and scepticism, which joined in, when he saw his master absently facing a certain spot in front of them. Carefully, the green demon's gaze searched through his surroundings, but he could only make out fog and trees – the clearing where they had left... Another shock...

"Where's Rin?"

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A.N.: Hope that chapter wasn't too long and boring. 


	6. Human weakness

Chapter VI – Human weakness – 

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, the characters, the plot etc., but I own Koe.

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Heavy shivers ran through her body, as another strike hit her. She tried to open her eyes, but all she could see was fog. Fog and the blood that came running down her face. She tried to remember what had happened. They had gone to the valley and Sesshomaru-sama had left her outside the cave, because he wouldn't know what to do with her inside. He had told her to stay where she was, outside the… A dreadful idea came to her mind. Was she now… inside? 

With a short sigh she tried to move, but the fog kept her where she was. Memories of the day she died came back to her mind. All too clearly she could remember what it had felt like when those wolves had strained at her, keeping her from running away. Slowly the tears came running down her cheeks. She would probably die again. Sesshomaru-sama wouldn't come to rescue her and even if he did – this was Kumori's cave. He had already told her that inside this hideout nobody could challenge him. It was over. She would die and nobody would care. She was just some orphan, homeless and worthless.

"Afraid?" An amused giggle echoed through the cave, merging with the fog and therefore everything around her. She couldn't even tell where it came from. Exhausted from trying to get rid of her white chains Rin finally gave up and let herself fall down on her knees. There was no chance, so why still waste her breath on something useless. "You look exhausted." A cold hand under her chin forced her to look up. "And you look like her."

Another shiver ran through her body. Her? He wasn't talking of Koe, was he? Hundreds of thoughts ran through her head. He seemed to hate Koe, by the way he spoke of her and he seemed to know that they were relatives. He probably even knew she belonged to Sesshomaru-sama now. Was that why he had called him?

A short vile grin appeared on what was left of Kumori's face. "You humans really are a shame for nature. So weak and so easy to break…" He took a look at the tunnels. "Actually I wanted Sesshomaru to find and kill her, but I guess I'll just wait until she comes here to rescue her little sister. And even if she doesn't…" he grabbed her chin again and the look in his eyes made her freeze for a few seconds. There was no emotion, no warmth. Since following a demon she was used to that heartless expression in demons' eyes, but she couldn't remember a single time Sesshomaru-sama had looked at her like that. Kumori would kill her. She was just his way to catch Koe and if he had her trapped inside his cave, he would kill them both.

Again tears came running down her face, making him giggle slightly. "But it will take some time until she's here and I will probably get bored." She stared at his face, eyes widened, unwilling to believe what he had just said. His giggle turned into quiet laughter. "I only need you alive, not unharmed…"

A stabbing pain went through her head, as his hand hit the wound at her head. If she was lucky, he would beat her to death before Koe found her.

"Which one, Sesshomaru-sama?" Irritated by the number of tunnels that they could take now, the green demon desperately faced his master. This cave was a dungeon and without the senses of Sesshomaru-sama he would have got lost in it already. Still, he wasn't happy about what he saw in his master's eyes. His emotionless look had changed into a mix of anger and calm, like a volcano that stayed calm, looking just the same as ever, but ready to explode within the next minutes. The only advantage was, that this time he could be sure it wasn't he whom his master wanted to tear into thousands of little pieces.

With a short look at the tunnels, Sesshomaru closed his eyes for a few seconds. Kumori's smell filled the whole cave, but still it couldn't hide the smell of blood – a child's blood. Without even looking at Jaken he went to take the third tunnel. Since the day he awoke her from the dead he would recognize her smell everywhere, even if it was covered by those of a whole horde of demons.

A simple idea suddenly came to his mind and he tried to get rid of it as fast as possible, but the thought came back again and again. 'You should have left her in some human village long ago.' The sentence echoed inside his head, getting even louder every time he tried to forget about it. Maybe that little voice inside his head was right. Following a demon was just way to dangerous for a little, weak human child, he should have known long before.

"I'll end this." His voice was nothing more than a whisper. He didn't even realize he had actually said what he had thought. The only thing he realized was the smell of her blood getting clearer with every step. He would take her out of this cave and then just take her to some village and leave her there. It was best for all of them. Rin would finally be safe, Jaken would stop acting like a jealous child and he would finally get rid of all the thoughts that tortured him every night. He would leave her and never come back again. And hopefully, they would both forget…

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A.N.: Sorry for the whole Kumori-beats-up-Rin-thing, I didn't like writing that scene either, but I had to. 


	7. Mine

Chapter VII – Mine –

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, the characters, the plot, etc., but I own Koe.

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Tears and blood came running down her face, as another strike hit her. Exhausted from all the attempts of running away, she curled up on the ground, trying to somehow ease the pain that went through her body. If only she would die right away… A small grin crept across his face, as he noticed her moves getting slower. "Hey, don't you dare dying before your sister comes here, you hear me?" 

"Don't you dare fooling me like that, Kumori!" A familiar voice answered from one of the tunnels behind him. Still quaking from pain, she searched for his golden eyes and a sad smile covered her lips. "You've come here… Sesshomaru-sama…" Kumori's grin got even bigger. "As I thought." He turned around to his 'old friend', finally leaving her alone with her pain. "What does Sesshomaru, Lord of the Youkai of the Western Lands, have to do with one single, weak, human child? Tell me, Sesshomaru: Why do you care about this pathetic thing?"

"None of your business." Trying not to look at Rin, he drew Toukijin and prepared for an attack. There was no chance of escaping anymore, so why should he try? A quiet laughter came from Kumori's side. "What a shame, Sesshomaru… and what a pity. I actually thought of only killing Koe and her, but I guess I've got no choice…"

Like a veil of toxic Kumori's body seemed to merge with the fog around him. It actually was an old trick, but how do you want to kill something, that has no shape? Amused by the look of confusion and anger in Sesshomaru's eyes, he laughed again. "You know where I am, Sesshomaru?" A short scream went through the cave and his eyes widened. "Rin!"

Shivering, she tried to suppress the pain that came from the cut in her shoulder. Blood poured from it and coloured her kimono into a dark shade of red. When she opened her eyes again, fear crept across her face. "Sesshomaru-sama!" Again blades of fog ran through the air, hitting his right arm. He stared at the wound. If Rin stayed here, Kumori would cut them both into pieces. "Jaken! Get her out of here! Hurry!" He turned to look at the girl again and her gaze seemed to plunge right through his heart. He tried to avoid that reflection of fear and shock, but still the thoughts of leaving her somewhere else came back to his mind. He had to get her out of here. Out of this cave, out of his reach and hopefully out of his life. When Jaken had finally reached them through the walls of fog, Sesshomaru turned around to the tunnels again. "We meet outside this cave again."

Reluctantly and annoyed by Rin's attempts to stay, Jaken made his way to the tunnels, while his master still searched for Kumori. His smell and his laughter seemed to be everywhere, but there was not a single sign of where he had hidden now. A small voice rose behind him. "What are you looking for, old friend?" Cold as ice the blade ran across his back…

>>>

"Sesshomaru-sama! Sesshomaru-sama!" Struggling against Jaken's firm grip, she tried to get back to the cave's centre. Again, a wave of pain went through her body, forcing her to give up. "He doesn't want you to die, Nee-chan."

Exhausted from all the struggling, but with a sad smile, she turned around to the other end of the tunnel. Her body was nothing more than a shadow in the fog, the shadow of a living dead. When she reached her little sister, her face got even paler. "Nee-chan, what…?" With a short glance at Jaken, Koe took off her coat and wrapped it around her sister's shoulder. "I told you to keep it, Rin. Believe me, you won't loose it twice." When she was done with Rin's wounds, her eyes focused on Jaken again. "Sesshomaru is still in there, fighting Kumori?" A short nodding came from Jaken, although his face looked definitely not like he'd agree with her. "For you it's still 'Sesshomaru-sama', foolish human woman."

"Whatever." Hugging her sister, she looked down to the katana on her belt. "It's time to end this. Rin, you've got to promise me to wait outside this cave, okay?" A reflection of fear and confusion appeared in the girl's eyes. "Wait! Nee-san! You're not going in there, too, are you?" Smiling sadly, Koe stood up again. She glanced at Jaken, then faced her sister, as he nodded again. "I have no choice, Nee-chan. I shouldn't be here anymore, you know that."

Small tears came running down her sister's face and merged with the blood on her shoulder. Her words had just felt like stabs inside her open wound. It hurt so much.

"Nee-san!" Again, despair crept up inside her. It couldn't be true. "Nee-san! Nee-san!" Held back by Jaken, she had to watch her sister's shadow dissolve within the fog. So this was the course of nature: To get everything and to loose it in the end… Slowly her knees gave up and her whole body collapsed. If only she had died… If only Kumori had killed her… If only Sesshomaru-sama hadn't brought her back to life on that one cursed day.

Her flow of tears had stopped. There was nothing more to cry out, nothing more to say, nothing more to fight for. No hand to keep her from falling down that abyss. "Sesshomaru-sama…"

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A.N.: Angst! Angst! Angst! Okay, I guess now you all know what that will end like. Anyway, please read and review. 


	8. The ones we love

Chapter VIII – The ones we love –

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, the characters, the plot etc., but I own Koe.

A.N.: This will be the last but one chapter. Hope ya like it.

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"_Nee-san!" Smiling slightly, she looked down to her little sister. "What is a demon?" As fast as it had appeared, her smile vanished. It was summer, everything was peaceful, the flowers were growing in the sun's golden light – why the heck did she ask such a question now? When she noticed her sister's confusion, the girl turned away again. "The villagers said demons were brutal, heartless creatures that are going to kill us."_

"_What?" The smile returned. She sat down next to her sister. "You know, Rin, some demons are that way. But some are not. Never fear a demon, Nee-chan, for they don't deny what they are said to be. But fear the world of men, for our race is deceptive and the home of lies."_

The smell of blood surrounded her, as she entered the cave's centre. So this was where Kumori had hidden. She touched the walls carefully. So it really was flesh.

"What a nice surprise." Slowly, she roamed the fog with her eyes, then found the pair of eyes she had been searching for. A sneaky smile crept across her face, as she noticed WHAT she had actually done to him. "How are you Kumori? You look somewhat… incomplete." A short wave of anger ran through the cave's walls. On the other end of the room, she could see her sister's master. Badly wounded, but still alive. Faint crackling filled the room, when she took her first steps into the fog. Determined not to look down, she clutched the katana on her belt and kept walking. Just a few meters…

When she had reached him, a look of pure rage pierced through her heart like the sword she had been killed with for the first time. "It's alright, Sesshomaru-sama. Rin and Jaken are outside, in safety. I'm supposed to be here."

With a last glance at Kumori's greedy eyes, she kneeled down and took Tokijin from the floor. With all the wounds that now coloured his clothing into deep shades of red, she wondered how Rin's master even was able to still stand on his own two feet. As her fingers touched the sword, its evil aura spread through her body. It was the aura of a demon – evil and powerful. Maybe even powerful enough to… A short smile stretched across her face. It was worth a try.

Giggling slightly, she took the sword and gave it back to his master. "I have a last request before I return to you, Kumori." Surprised, but still calmed down, he glanced at her, now, emotionless face. "What a heartless look, Koe. I thought you are human."

"I am dead, remember?" Taking his answer as a "yes", she leaned closer to the demon in front of herself. "I want you to destroy something for me, Sesshomaru-sama."

She smiled a bit at his insecure look, then took a few steps back. It had to work. With a last look at his golden eyes, she took the katana from her belt and let her fingers wander down the cold blade. The snow white metal seemed to absorb the warmth of anything that touched it. With a short smile she compared it with Tokijin's aura.

"_The villagers said demons were brutal, heartless creatures that are going to kill us."_

A light of anger flashed in her eyes. "I won't give my sister to you demons!" A wave of shock ran through both swords, as the katana hit Tokijin. Again, the smile appeared on her face. "Break it!" Fine cracks spread over the white blade until it finally broke into pieces. Frozen from shock the tengu watched the pieces hitting the ground with a faint crackling. Slowly, the metal lost its white glimmer and turned black. When all the colour had vanished, his fog started to dissolve.

"What have you done? What have you done, darned human woman!" She gave a short smile at Kumori's shocked eyes, before she sank down to the ground. Again, his golden eyes stared at her - this time in a mix of confusion and anger. "You've just destroyed his source of power, Sesshomaru-sama." She tried to explain, while she felt the breath of life creeping out of her body. "Kumori dies… and so do I."

Carefully, she lay down on the ground, while the walls started to crumble. His golden eyes still followed her, although they now seemed to blame her. "And what am I going to tell Rin?"

She smiled again, while the feeling for the rest of her body vanished. She had to hurry. "Tell her… " She glanced at the dissolving fog around her, then focused the demon again. "Tell her, she shall remember what I told her, on the day before the red moon. Tell her…"

Cold crept through her body and she felt her eyes close. "Tell her… I have… I have made the decision… for her."

He closed his eyes for a short moment. Whatever. Maybe this was Rin's destiny. Decisions made by other people.

As he left the crumbling cave, his attention snapped back to the plans he had made. Too much blood had been shed around her. When he reached the exit, two shocked, brown eyes glared at him. Ignoring the endless chatter of Jaken that now hailed down on him, he focused on Rin. As she tried to touch his arm, he pushed her away. "Hate me, for Koe died from my hand, Rin. It will make things much easier for you."


	9. Epilogue

Chapter IX – Epilogue –

Dislaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, the plot, the characters, etc., but I own Koe.

A.N.: As the title says, this will be the last chapter of "A trace of voices". Sorry to those who would have liked Koe to live (or Jaken to die?). Thanks to my fellow reviewers FoxWolfDemon and especially Omasuoniwabanshi, who keep me writing. Hope you like that chapter.

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Cold as ice the moonlight shone on his white hair and for the first time since he had brought her back to life, she quaked with fear, when looking at his eyes. They seemed so cold and emotionless to her now. As he noticed her frightened look, his gaze wandered down to her. "What's wrong, Rin? You look scared. Do my wounds still frighten you?" 

She shook her head slightly, but at the same moment focused those wounds again. Two days ago, his clothing had been crimson red on the spot where Kumori had hit him. But, of course, after all, this was Sesshomaru-sama – Lord of the western demons. He would just recover from it quickly and continue his journey… while Koe's was over.

He took a closer look at her large, brown eyes, then realised she was hard on the edge of bursting into tears. Suddenly, an almost forgotten question came to his mind. "Rin…"

"Huh?" Trying to suppress the urge to cry, she looked up again. "What did Koe tell you on the day before the red moon?" As in a disease, the little girl felt all her muscles contract. Why did he have to ask her that? When she had recovered from the first shock, a dreamy smile stretched across her lips.

"She said I should never fear demons, for they don't deny what they were. But I should fear our own race, for we were deceptive." Murmuring something she could not understand, he faced the fireplace again. "And did you believe her?" She crouched even the more, now shivering from the night's cold. But, still, the smile lingered. "I am here with you after all, and not with Koe." Slowly, her voice turned into whisper. "She has made the decision for me."

He gave a look at the pale moon in the sky, then closed his eyes and recalled his thoughts. There was a village down the river, only one day's march away.

"Would you leave me to live with your own race, Rin?" Her look changed into a reflection of confusion. "Would you go and disobey your sister's order?" Sighing slightly, she faced the moon and he could see her fingers crawling deeper into the fabric on her skin. "If you told me to."

Without even noticing it, a sigh of relief escaped from his lips. "But I would miss you." She added, and the words pierced through his heart like ten thousand swords. "I would miss you the same way I always do, when you are gone. I would wait for you to return."

"What if I would never return?" The sound of shattering glass echoed inside her and she could feel the tears running down her face. "I would live my life until the bitter end and die, just like Nee-san – with no power, no will to even live on."

Nodding slightly, he motioned her to come closer and she curled up under his fur coat immediately. A few seconds later, sleep had overtaken her, while tears still ran down her face.

"Sesshomaru-sama…" With a sigh of anger he turned to Jaken. Rin was finally asleep – didn't he see that? "Where are we going now? I mean, tomorrow?"

He gave a last look at the sinking moon, the fire and the little girl next to himself. "We go on up the river. We won't go back down."

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A.N.: haha, so how did you like that? Hope that ending was okay so far. Thanks to all my reviewers, I hope you enjoyed "A trace of voices". 


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